Franciso
Of Spanish origin, meaning "free man" or "Frenchman".
Name Census estimates that about 418 living Americans carry the first name Franciso. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Franciso today is around 47 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Franciso births was 1974 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Franciso. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
418
~ 1 in 819,986 Americans
Peak year
1974
19 babies that year
Average age
47
years old
2004 SSA rank
#10,393
Tracked since 1949
Popularity
Franciso: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Franciso from the 1940s through to the 2000s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 113 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Franciso remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Franciso by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Franciso during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Francisos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Franciso
Franciso is a masculine given name of Italian origin, derived from the Late Latin name Franciscus. It ultimately traces its roots back to the Germanic name Franko, which means "free" or "Frenchman." The name gained widespread popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly after the renowned Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), the founder of the Franciscan order.
The earliest recorded use of the name Franciso can be traced back to the 13th century, when it was mentioned in various historical documents and religious texts. It was widely adopted throughout Italy and other parts of Europe, often associated with the Franciscan order and its teachings of humility, poverty, and love for nature.
One of the most notable historical figures with the name Franciso was Francisco Pizarro (c. 1476-1541), the Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Inca Empire in present-day Peru. His exploits and role in the colonization of the Americas solidified the name's prominence in the Spanish-speaking world.
Another famous bearer of the name was Francisco de Goya (1746-1828), the renowned Spanish painter and printmaker whose works captured the essence of the Enlightenment and the turbulent times of the Napoleonic era. His masterpieces, such as "The Third of May 1808" and "The Naked Maja," are celebrated for their technical mastery and social commentary.
In the realm of literature, Francisco de Quevedo (1580-1645) was a prominent Spanish poet and satirist known for his incisive wit and biting social criticism. His works, such as "Sueños" (Dreams) and "Poemas Satíricos y Burlescos" (Satirical and Burlesque Poems), have left an indelible mark on Spanish literature.
Moving to the Americas, Francisco "Pancho" Villa (1878-1923) was a renowned Mexican revolutionary and guerrilla leader who played a crucial role in the Mexican Revolution. His daring military exploits and charismatic leadership made him a legendary figure in Mexican history.
Lastly, Francisco Goya (1746-1828), the renowned Spanish painter and printmaker, deserves another mention for his profound impact on the world of art. His masterpieces, such as "The Third of May 1808" and "The Naked Maja," have become iconic representations of the Enlightenment and the turbulent times of the Napoleonic era.
These are just a few examples of the many notable figures throughout history who have borne the name Franciso, which continues to be a popular choice across various cultures and languages, carrying with it a rich historical legacy.
People
Franciso + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Franciso as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Franciso: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Franciso?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 418 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Franciso going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 819,986 US residents.
Is Franciso a common name?
We classify Franciso as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 460 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Franciso most popular?
The single biggest year for Franciso was 1974, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Franciso is about 47 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Franciso a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Franciso in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.